The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-05-21
0'kANE'S GHOST.
An Old Army Officer Terrified by the
Spectre OF Comrade Killed in the
War.

al don't believe in ghosts, spirits, OF
supernatural visitations of any kind"
said an old and well known army oili-
Ger, who has been spending a few DAYS
in this city, "but that under certain con
ditions there are mysterious mesmeric,
psychological, or occult influences
brought TO bear upon the human or
ganism with the most extraordinary,
startling and inexplicable results no
man living has better reason TO know
than myself. have never attempted
TO make the slightest endeavor to solve
or understand these mysteries. am
content TO believe that was once the
medium through which the result Of
this kind, the most amazing of any L
have ever read of, either in alleged
fact or acknowledged fiction, was ac-
complished.
81 was a lieutenant in the 18th
United States regular infantry during
the late war. As you may know, q
great many dashing and ambitious
young soldiers from the Papal army in
Rome came over early in the war, and
through the influence of Archbishop
Hughes obtained commissions in the
Union army. One of these soldiers, by
the way, is now the son.in-law Of
James G.. Blaine. With these, and
still not Of them, was a young Irish
man, whom / will call Larry O'Kane.
That was not his right name, and IL
was years before / learned what his
name really was. ! do not give il now,
for reasons that will presently be OBJ.
vious to you. My regiment was sta
toned in the vicinity Of Havre de
Grace when this young lrishman was
assigned TO a lieutenancy in It, |
ranked him by one file. There was
something about the boy-for he wasn't
more than 20--that attached me TO
him at once. He was handsome, manly,
and every inch soldier. There was
peculiar reserve about him, and n
melancholy that added TO the interest
his coming awoke in me. / was getting
up mess at The time, and asked the
young lrishman to mess with me, and
he accepted the invitation. We were
not long in becoming the best OF
friends. We shared all the comforts
and dscomforts of march and bivouac.
While he was courteous and polite TO
all our comrades, he seldom talked
with any besides myself, and even %
me he never spoke about himself, ex-
cept on the rare occasions / will men
ton. lt was plain TO me that there was
q mystery of some kind connected with
him. but although | might have had
pardonable curiosity 20 know what Il
WAS, never permitted myself TO tres
pass on his too apparent desire to have
IL remain a mystery. The young OIL
Ger always had'plenty of money, which
was by no means usual thing with
rs soldiers In those days. lie was
free with his purse. He never drank,
nor relieved the monotony OF camp or
the pockets Of himself or comrades by
that boon TO mankind, game of draw.
He smoked, and his collection Of meer-
schaums was vision. Young Lieut.
OKane, reserved, melancholy, and ex.
elusive rs he was, was beloved In the
regiment from the colonel down Co the
last private In the'rear ranks.
"On one or two occasions, when we
were expecting 20 be called upon TO
join In some looked for battle, and lay
In our tent smoking and talking, he |
said TO me that If anything happened |
to him he wanted me 60 be his execu.
tor, and on those occasions, as be- |
lieve now, he would have told me his |
story If had indicated an inclination
TO hear IL, but l always replied to him
In a trining manner and laughed at 4
the idea of soldier having anything